Apria Healthcare

1.2 out of
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Abysmal Customer Service

Posted by Lb on 07/15/2008

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK -- I am going to detail here some of the unfortunate dealings I have had with Apria. The long and short of it, however, is this: there is a terrible disconnect between the customer service representatives who take orders, the dispatch offices, and the drivers. Moreover, the Brooklyn dispatcher in particular is obnoxious and unhelpful.

My baby was born with respiratory distress syndrome and was discharged from the hospital on oxygen. Because of foul-ups from Apria, her discharge had to be postponed by five days. Here are the series of the events that led to that postponement:

The deliveryman from Apria called one morning to announce that he would be arriving at my house “soon.” My wife and I waited for hours, even though we were supposed to be at the hospital with our baby. Finally, at around 4 pm, he arrived, but with the wrong materials. He had a tank for an adult and a regulator for an adult. We explained that these were the wrong materials. He left with them, and we left for the hospital. At 6:30 pm, another man named Dave called to say that the deliveryman was outside our door in Brooklyn. We were at the hospital and no one had called to tell us someone would be coming back that day. We informed Dave that we could not be there in time to take the materials (the hospital is more than one hour away from our home). He promised that someone would arrive on Monday morning with the proper materials.

Monday morning arrived, and no one showed up. I called the Brooklyn dispatch office and spoke to a brusque "gentleman" who I believe is the manager of that office. I asked him where the driver was; he informed me that the driver would arrive "anytime" that day. I told him that I had been told by Dave on Friday that the driver would arrive in the morning. He informed me that I was mistaken: supposedly no one is ever told what time deliveries will come.

Later that afternoon, the materials arrived (again, forcing my wife and me to lose an entire day with our daughter in the hospital). Again, the delivery materials were for an adult: "M" tanks with regulators that deliver no less than 2 liters of oxygen. As every prescription from the hospital and every bill from Apria makes clear, my baby is supposed to be receiving no more than .2 liters of oxygen. The adult delivery system does not work for her.

I called Apria to complain and was promised that the proper materials would be delivered – the next day. The next morning, a respiratory therapist arrived, again without warning (luckily we were at home), with only a pulse-oxymeter. She had no new oxygen tanks or other equipment. She explained to us how the pulse-oxymeter worked, but without any of the proper materials, my wife and I had no idea what was to be done. She called the Brooklyn dispatcher to inquire about what was happening and put him onto the phone to me. I complained about the conduct of Apria, and he began shouting at me to quiet down. At that point I hung up on him.

Eventually we received the proper equipment, with the help of the Elmsford branch manager. I thought that we had finally figured out how to deal with Apria.

This past weekend, I again had to order additional oxygen tanks plus a stand for the E tanks. I called Apria's emergency number. I was told I should have called on Friday, not Sunday. I said fine, but placed the order: 3 E tanks and 6 M tanks and one stand. On Monday morning, someone called to say that they could not deliver the tanks before Tuesday. I insisted that they deliver the tanks on Monday. They agreed to do so. So on Monday afternoon, a driver showed up at my house. He had three D tanks, 3 M tanks, and no stand. I asked him to leave all of the tanks and to take the empties. He would not take the empty E tanks because he was not delivering any full E tanks. I then called the Westchester office to place my order (3 E tanks plus a stand plus 3 M tanks) again. The woman who took the order was very helpful. This afternoon, a driver showed up at my apartment with an M tank and a stand. My wife (I wasn’t home) protested that this was not the proper order but the driver insisted on leaving it. She pointed out that the M tank is for adults and that my baby needs less than .2 liter of oxygen. He insisted on leaving it.

When I got home, I called the Westchester office one more time. I placed the order one more time. A driver then arrived – less than one hour ago – with… another M tank! I had to explain to him the situation. Thankfully, he took the M tank away and gave me the proper materials.

So, there are two problems here that need remedying:

1. The Brooklyn dispatcher. As I mentioned above, he is extremely rude. He has a terrible reputation in Apria itself. Several of the drivers informed me that he views the customer as the enemy, and some of the dispatchers in Westchester claimed that they had received multiple complaints.

2. The disconnect between Apria customer service representatives, the dispatch office, and the drivers. Every single time I place an order, I end up having to repeat myself to various individuals. Every single time, I invariably receive the wrong materials and have to replace the order. Every single time, I have to wait for hours on end, sometimes two days, sometimes three days, for drivers that show up with the wrong materials. Not only is this frustrating to me as a customer, but it must cost Apria many dollars to keep sending out drivers over and over again. It also must cost CIGNA (my insurance provider) as the contracting company, many dollars. Simply put, I think Apria is probably the single most badly managed company I’ve ever had to deal with.

Apria's poor customer relations and bad management could form the basis of a lawsuit, particularly since life-sustaining materials are being delivered in such a shoddy fashion.

I wrote to Apria's management about the above issues, but received no response.

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Unbelievably bad

Posted by lionsareus26 on 09/19/2011

Apria HealthCare

Sept 2, 2011, these folks were contacted by my doctor's office to supply me with an oxygen machine.

I wouldn't even hear from these folks until Sept 12th. I don't remember exactly the gist of the conversation. Since they never followed up by coming to my place, I called a few days later. Evidently, they felt a need for an oximetry test.(this is totally painless)

I explained I'd had such a test fairly recently. Maybe I didn't need the test? On Sept 16, a Friday, my doctor's office called me, explaining that I really need to just take another oximetry test. OK, no big deal, its totally painless.

I woke up on Mon, Sept 19, 2011, wondering why this company still had not contacted me. I called my doctor's office. They told me I was impatient, it was only the previous Friday that I'd agreed to take another oximetry test. What they're missing: at this point 17 days have passed since Apria Healthcare had been contacted by my doctor's office.
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Why did it take 17 days to get to this point, a point of nothingness? Still nothing has been done.
I told my doctor's office that I would not allow any of Apria Healthcare's people in my place.

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I called a friend, talked about stuff. During this call, my call waiting showed an incoming call, which I didn't take. After the call with a friend was over, I followed up on the caller who wanted to interrupt my phone call. I went through a lengthy listen-to menus thing that made no sense.

I finally got through to this company, it turned out they were NOT Apria Healthcare. I had to call the number, as I'd been called by this number so many times. If that number were Apria Healthcare's, then shame on me, the fault is mine, for not picking up on Apria HealthCare's calls.
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Well, it was NOT Apria Healthcare that had been calling. When you wait weeks for a company to call you, you need to answer your phone pretty often, you never know when it might be that company. Then, of course, there's that feeling of profound disrespect you get, you can't believe people would treat you that way.

My doctor says I should have an oxygen machine. I really don't think I need one, but occasionally my asthma does scare me. And really, whose opinion is more important in deciding to take or not take an oxygen machine? Of course, my doctor's opinion matters most.
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Anyway, on Mon 19Sep2011, after talking to my doctor's office, then calling this recent caller, who had called so often, I realize that Apria Healthcare has made no attempt to contact me.(Except for the call on Sep 12th, on which they never followed up)

On the Apria Healthcare website, they make a claim that they often have necessary medical equipment in a patients home on the same day as the doctor puts in the order. When my doctor's office put in the order for an oxygen machine, it was the morning of 2Sep2011. Seventeen days later, these people at Apria Healthcare have done NOTHING, not even arranged for the mandatory test before I could get the machine.

For simplicity of understanding, and for me, should I go back to this, here are the dates:

They called Sep 12, I really don't remember much about the call. A few days later, I called them, asking what they were going to do.

On Monday, 19Sep2011, when I finally lost my patience, I did finally call Apria Healthcare and told them I wanted nothing to do with them. This was most likely a waste, as I doubt they would have EVER called, anyway. I'm fairly confident of that.

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Customer "service" answered, they had no explanation for the long delay. I asked them if they had ever intended to call me. Their answer: of course!
I thanked her for her willingness to lie, then hung up. Yes, I was wrong. I probably should have given them a few more months to see if they would ever call.
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I searched for reviews of Apria Healthcare, found some at "Yelp" but these were for Apria Healthcare out in California, in 2 different California cites.
I was reading some of the most awful things--insurance in some cases had picked up the cost, yet Apria Healthcare tried to double bill the patient. This seems to be a common complaint. There were a few other complaints of being sent wrong supplies, and even after Apria Healthcare was informed that the supplies sent were for the wrong machine, they continued to bill the patient's credit card.
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Maybe I'm lucky Apria Healthcare won't help me. What price would I pay in the end? DON'T, under any circumstances, give these people a debit or credit card number if you don't need to. From the reviews I've read, they're none too honest.
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I don't imagine Apria Healthcare will attempt to bill me or Medicare for providing me with absolutely nothing, but I'll be watching Medicare statements closely. I would turn them in for fraud in a heartbeat.
I can probably survive the lack of an oxygen machine. Can you, or the people you care for, survive without their medical equipment/supplies? Ask yourself that question.
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To help you remember the name of this company, to hopefully avoid them, think of a little orange apricot. Then think "Apria", as in "Apria Healthcare".

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Totally Unbelievable Customer Service – Read This!

Posted by DaveW4U on 12/01/2008

SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA -- I never thought a company would (seemingly) set out to screw up simple supply orders until I worked with Apria. They may have won first place for the worst customer service in the healthcare industry.

My complaint is not due to a few botched up orders, but over 30 in the last 9 years. I order cpap supplies, such as masks, filters, chinstraps, etc. Most of these are repeat orders. Not one time in over 30 attempts have they sent me a complete order correctly! These guys must have to work hard at screwing up orders! Please understand, if I don't use this cpap (a machine that pumps air in my lungs when I sleep), I could have a stroke and die. A few quick examples:

• On my order three months ago, I mentioned the problems I have had and requested that they get the order right for the first time. You'd think that would assure a correct order, right? I ask them to send me the blue neoprene chinstrap, NOT the white 4" one. They see past orders, identify the correct strap and orders it for me. What do I get but the white one!

• I need filters for my cpap machine. I have dust allergies and have sneezing attacks. I order the filters and they assure me they will be there in two to three days. I call to complain I haven't received the filters after a week-I'm beginning to wake up sneezing. They say the filters are ordered and should arrive any day. Another week goes by, same response, any day now. Three weeks go by and I'm not getting much sleep because I wake up at night sneezing, blowing my nose. They say it should arrive in the next day or two. A full month later, I'm waking up with a bloody nose and my mask full of blood...! I tell them to do whatever it takes–GET IT HERE! I call national Apria customer service number. They apologize profusely and assure me they will have the Santa Rosa, CA office looked into and that this is an isolated incident. Here we are, FIVE WEEKS LATER, I ask where my filters are – THEY HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN ORDERED!

• After sending me the wrong filter twice, I email them with the exact part number, taken from the package. I even take pictures of the filters they sent me that were wrong (pink and yellow) and show them the right one that's white. What do they send me but more of the pink and yellow ones!

• The last time I got the Northern California manager to look into my need for a Bi-pap machine (I want to be sure I get the right one for my needs). He assures me he'll take care of it. A week later, he's too busy, so he refers me to "his expert in Bi-pap machines". After going round and round with this lady for 45 minutes, it turns out she doesn't know much about Bi-pap machines at all and I know much more than she knows!
I don't have time to go on about this, this is crazy!
They have had three managers of the office in Santa Rosa in the last three years, still they promise me the world and assure this will not happen to me again, but each time it does! Even the people who work there think that they are a joke! Now I see that others have had the same kind of experience elsewhere in the US. God, help them!

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Never Choose Apria!!

Posted by Sara on 09/19/2014

Rating: 1/51

MINSTER, OHIO -- After waiting for 2 weeks after my doctor faxed my prescription for my CPAP machine to Apria, I finally decided to call them to see what was the holdup. First, I waited on hold for over a half hour just to speak to a person. He told me that they would call me on Monday to set up a time with them to discuss insurance. I waited until the next Thursday and decided to call them back on my own. I once again waited for a half hour to speak to a person. This woman told me that she didn't understand why no one had gotten back with me and she elevated my order status. She said a manager would call me back the next day. The next day, the manager called me and things seemed to be straightening out. She said there would be a total charge of 29.61 for all the equipment except the mask and that I would pay for the mask when I picked up the machine. She scheduled me to pick up the machine on the following Wednesday and took my banking information to charge the $29.61. Wednesday I went to the office to pick up the machine and be instructed on how to use it. After the instruction the woman in the office showed me an invoice. The amount on the invoice was less than the $29.61 and she said the ONLY thing I would have to pay for was the mask. I asked her how much the mask would be. She said it would be less than $20. I signed the invoice as she noted the card was already on file so I didn't need to provide it or get a receipt. 2 days later, as I was checking my bank account, there was a charge for $118.98!!!! I called back to Apria.

After I talked on the phone for close to an hour, the woman supervisor named Cindy, told me that she was sorry for the mixup but I had to pay more because they didn't tell me right. Tell me exactly how 2 people told me that I only owed $29 and I got charged $118.98???!?!?! Something seems very fishy and illegal about this company. I will be talking to my lawyer.

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HORRIBLE Customer Service

Posted by X. on 12/16/2013

Rating: 1/51

ENDWELL, NEW YORK -- When my mother was alive, she had Apria in Florida and had a terrible experience. I didn't think it could get any worse until today. My family has done business with Apria's Endwell, NY branch for many years. You can no longer call the branch directly. The local number is forwarded to a call center in another state. I waited on hold 3 times for over 45 minutes each time!! When I finally got through, they had my insurance information wrong. I waited on the phone for half an hour while they straightened that out then placed my order and gave the representative my credit card info. I waited 2 weeks and when I did not get the equipment we ordered, I called again. I had to try several times as I was always stuck on hold for at least half an hour and would sometimes have to hang up. When I finally got through, they said they needed my credit card information again. I had to call back with my credit card info and when I finally got through, I was told that the order had been canceled and couldn't be "back-dated." ?? I would have to wait at least 2 more weeks to get my things. I worked my way up through supervisors and spoke with someone who promised to get back to me immediately. That didn't happen. I spent the day trying to get through again--finally got someone who would not listen to me. I asked to be transferred to the Endwell branch as I thought I would get better service with them. But the woman in Endwell kept talking over me, too. I hate that. I would start to speak and she would speak over me. I asked her if it was worth losing 3 customers? And she said she couldn't care less. So there you have it. There are other companies out there. I switched in less than an hour.

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Criminal Behavior/non-existent customer service at Apria

Posted by George on 08/13/2013

Rating: 1/51

CHICAGO, TEXAS -- I called Apria to find out the buy-out amount for my CPAP machine. I was informed that only 3 payments remained on my term and that it would be best to just make the remaining three payments and then billing would stop and I would own my machine. I agreed. Meanwhile, I received a letter regarding patient financial assistance. I called and said I did not think I needed to complete the form as I only had 3 payments remaining. I was informed that by filling out the form, should it be approved I would receive lower "patient assistance" pricing on any supply orders I would make in the future. My assistance was approved and my monthly billing decreased for what was to be the final month. When I received an invoice for an additional month, I called the billing department and was informed that since I had requested financial assistance and received it, that my monthly billing would continue indefinitely and that I would not ever own the machine. I told them that this was unacceptable and that they had contacted me about financial assistance. They told me it was too late and that I would continue to be billed. I told them I would pay the full final month and take ownership. They told me that was impossible. I asked to talk to a supervisor and was refused. Finally they gave me an address for customer care and that I could write to them. I did. 2-3 months later I received a call from a very rude customer service agent, who verified my initial conversation about the buy-out. I again offered to pay it off and again was told that someone had made an error, that it was a training issue within Apria and that I was stuck with ongoing monthly bills. I asked to talk to someone in charge and was told that I would be on hold for a while. I asked if someone could call me back, she agreed and 9 months later I still have not received that call. I wrote another letter, included a check for the buy-out amount and stated that they should either accept the check as a final payment and buy-out or not cash the check. They cashed the check and have continued billing. I have not paid them a dime and now am getting letters that I am being turned over to a collection agency. This was clearly a bait and switch fraud by this company. THEY ARE CRIMINAL IN THEIR CONDUCT _ DO NOT USE

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Nasty Rude and Cutoff

Posted by Dan on 06/30/2013

Rating: 1/51

ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS -- It all started I'm not sure date or those details but from the start I was diagnosed with osa. I went to the only local in Freeport Il osa place it was Garrity Home care. Was awesome worked till got my mask right serviced it got me new humidifier and when it broke they sent it in and gave a loner with humidifier key with humidifier.

The service was so good, people so helpful and friendly. Then this happens. . Apria Healthcare took it over closed my towns store. Then my machine broke a second time they made me go to their town. The atmosphere was just not warm, the lady had looks and wasn't like my towns lady. They reluctantly sent it in to be fixed. I had to force them by calling corporate office for a humidifier, the local refused then they lied to Medicare said I stole their loaner asked for favors etc.

The favors I found out were me asking them to come to me, I'm disabled with a car that don't like town and now I'm demanded to drive 40 miles or so to them. Now my machine is broke again I got ignored for over a year hung up on had to recently sic social security on them.

Then they talk to me and what a surprise its all my fault and they refuse to come to me and basically in not so many words you pay for it. Well social security only does this or that you own the machine etc and we are not required to serve you, want some other numbers, etc.

So I'm screwed with a half working machine I have to wait 2 years or so till social will pay for another one. Thanks Apria enjoy Medicares fraud charges and withheld payments.

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Not Customer Friendly - More Like Incompetent

Posted by bret48 on 02/15/2011

I have had a CPAP since September 2010 when I need a new mask seal in the start on January 2011 I received one and paid my co-pay. Near the middle of February I received a voice mail from Apria that they had tried to collect on an outstanding balance. I called and after a 20 minute phone conversation with an indian who had a difficult time understanding English I finally figured out that my insurance had not paid for the seal and that I was said to still owe them the balance. I told them I would call my insurance and confirm that they had not paid and why. This was on a Friday night and on Tuesday morning I received another call when I was on the phone with my insurance. It was a voicemail from Apria that they had once again attempted to collect payment. I called Apria when I got home from work and after a 30 minute wait on hold listening to terrible music I was once again talking to an Indian who was unable to understand me. When I asked to speak to his supervisor he grew belligerent and after several heated exchanges with him he transferred me to his supervisor, who promptly hung up on me after saying she couldn't hear me. I work in a call center and qc phone calls as part of my duties.

I think I would fail the customer service representative and the supervisor, and any company associated with these people. I am mailing in my payment and am switching to another CPAP supplier. I don't mind speaking to call centers in foreign countries but I do expect quality service, but this was a case of getting what you pay for. By the way the supplier I am using is located in the USA.

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Abusive & incompetent customer department

Posted by abuse & incompetent customer service on 04/18/2010

4095 PIKE LN CONCORD -- In November 2009 I contacted Apria Healthcare to see if my CPAP machine replacement would be covered by my medical insurance. I was advised by 2 different people at Apria that it would. After some delay I finally received my new machine in December 2009.
On March 31, 2010 I received a call from Sandra who claimed to be with Apria Healthcare claiming that I was renting my CPAP machine and that my insurance was no longer covering this in 2010. I told Sandra that there is no way I agreed, nor signed any document agreeing to a rental machine over the direct purchase as I had done with my previous CPAP. She just kept raising her voice saying "this is a rental, this is a rental, and then if she was going to send someone out to take the machine back". I asked to speak to her supervisor and she said she could not get her on the line and hung-up. I did get a second call from someone claiming to be her supervisor who again said they had processed my machine as a rental.
On Friday, April 16, 2010 I received a bill from Apria for $214.00. No explanation, just demanding payment.
Why would I rent a CPAP machine for $107.00 for month that can be purchased on the internet for as low as $289.00?
Threatening to take a CPAP away from someone who has Sleep Apnea is endangering my life. Are they serious?
There is no document that I signed, nor have I received anything in the mail from Apria which specifies terms for a rental machine. I would never have agreed to such nonsense.
I feel they are attempting to bully me into paying for a machine because they did not properly bill my insurance company. I changed insurance in 2010 and have a deductible that would not have been the case if they had handled my order in a competent manner to begin with.

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Apria's horrible service and billing problems

Posted by Nebkan on 03/09/2010

Just want people to really checkout other peoples experiences before signing up with Apria. We had all kinds of problems with late deliveries, delivery of wrong product, and billing the insurance company for products we hadn't used in months. We also had billing problems which I thought we had resolved. I spoke with a representative and we agreed they owed me a small amount and about a month later I received a check with a stub stating I had overpaid.

A month later they turn our account over for collection for $27. This after their own representative told me they do not refund amounts less than $25 to patients unless the patient requests it. What an outfit! I don't think the left hand knows what the right hand is doing.